Cerrejon Coal Company

Cerrejon Coal Company (formerly know as Carbones del Cerrejón LLC, is the largest coal mining company in Colombia, with major mines in the Department of la Guajira. It owns and operates the Cerrejon coal mine and the Puerto Bolivar coal export terminal in northern Colombia.

The company -- which is a joint venture of Anglo American (33%), Glencor International (33%) and BHP Billiton (33%) -- produced 27.5 million tonnes in 2005. It operates the Cerrejon Centro mines, Cerrejon Sur mines, Cerrejon Zonoa Norte and Oreganal mines in the La Guajira Department. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that in 2005 59% of the company's exports went to Europe with a further 22% to North America.

Company History
1976: an association contract was signed between Carbocal S.A., a state owned coal company, and Intercor, an ExxonMobil affiliate, for the development of Cerrejón North Zone. This contract consisted of 3 phases. 1977-1980: Phase 1: Exploration 1981-1986: Phase 2: Construction 1986-2009: Phase 3: Production 1995: Central Deposit was acquired 1999: January: Carrejón made an agreement with the Colombian government to extend phase 3 for an additional 25 years (until 2034) 2000: November: the Colombian government sold 50 percent of Carbocal S.A. to a consortium whose members were subsidiaries of BHP Billiton 2002: In February, this consortium acquired from Intercor the other 50 percent (owned by ExxonMobil. In November, the merger between Intercor and Carbones del Cerrejón S.A. was legalized and Intercor’s name was changed to Carbones del Cerrejón Ltd.

History
On its website, BHP Billiton states that "BHP Billiton acquired a one third interest in the CdelC mining operation from Anglo American and Glencore in September 2000. In November 2000 the consortium, consisting of Anglo American, BHP Billiton and Glencore successfully bid for 50 per cent interest of the neighbouring CZN mine. The remaining 50 per cent of CZN was held by Intercor, the mine management company owned by ExxonMobil. Recognising that a combined operation of CdelC an CZN would generate synergies, the consortium commenced negotiations with ExxonMobil to acquire CZN's mine management company. The transaction was completed in February 2002. The combined operations of CdelC and CZN became known as Cerrejon Coal Company (CCC)."

Business Strategy
To be acknowledged in the international thermal coal market as well as in Colombia as the most efficient and trustworthy world class producer and exporter; as an excellent partner that complies with the highest standards in terms of safety, health, environment and sustainable development; as a corporation with exemplary ethical behaviour, respectful of human rights; and as an effective contributor to the welfare and development of the communities where it operates and of the country, that promotes participation, development and excellence among its people and achieves the highest profitability for its shareholders.

Citizens Groups Tracking Cerrejón

 * Mineral Policy Institute (Australia) - http://www.mpi.org.au

Human Rights
May 27, 2008 A terrorist attack in the morning against a train hauling coal from the mine to Port Bolivar resulted in no injuries to train operators or to people in the surrounding area.

November 2007 In 2001, Cerrejón’s bulldozers demolished most of the neighboring village of Tabaco. Another assault occurred in 2002 and the rest of the village was destroyed. Several other communities face displacement because of the planned expansion of the mine.

El Cerrejón Norte in Colombia: The mine borders and partly covers reservation land of the indigenous Wayuu people. To expand the mine in August 2001, the community of Tabaco was bulldozed flat. The 700 residents, pushed out by 500 soldiers and 200 police who accompanied the mine operator, didn't even have time to retrieve their personal effects. When the job was complete, the village's school and clinic were also razed and the cemetery desecrated. There was no compensation. In June 2004, Cerrejón again forcibly displaced a number of Wayuu Indigenous and Afro Colombian communities with no compensation to make way for the expansion. Sintracarbon, a Colombian coal mining union representing workers at El Cerrejón, has been engaged in collective bargaining with the firm since December 2004. But in the weeks leading up to those negotiations, bargaining team members began receiving calls from unknown members of paramilitary groups demanding payments. The extortion calls also involved death threats on family members of Sintracarbon’s bargaining team. Members of the European Parliament and the international trade union federation ICEM called upon the company’s owners to condemn this extortion.

November 12, 2007 The illegally armed group (FARC 59th Front) has made a series of extortion threats related to the Sotrans Company which is Cerrejón’s transport contractor.

December 12, 2006 Cerrejón created a human rights program and describes the following voluntary principles.

Development, Peace and Human Rights in Colombia: A Business Agenda This document addresses the development of the first Peace Laboratory. It mentions that the Fundación Ideas para la Paz has joined together with Cerrejón to test the Conflict Sensitive business practice tool risk analysis and management methodology.

Social Responsibility Initiatives
During 2007, Carbones del Cerrrejón invested over 5 million dollars in its social responsibility actions. Today, La Guajira's economy depends to a considerable extent on coal exports and this is reflected in the Company's intention to help to generating the means and alternative projects for the "Guajiros" to take advantage of the mining wealth resources to prepare for a better future. The new foundation system includes: Cerrejón also contributes to the improvement of the community’s living conditions with generation of employment, demand for goods and services, the payment of royalties and taxes to the development of the following benefit programs: health, education, culture and recreation, small business development support groups, a comprehensive aid plan for the indigenous community, and water solutions. Cerrejón gives back 84 percent of its royalties to La Guajira Department and the municipalities involved in the company’s operations for investment in their economic and social development programs. 
 * The Cerrrejón Foundation for Progress in La Guajira which is focused on promoting projects to guarantee the sustainable development in the area, particularly entrepreneurial ventures and the strengthening of both professional and working abilities.
 * The Cerrrejón Foundation for Water in La Guajira, focusing on the search for solutions to sanitation and hygiene.
 * The Cerrrejón Foundation for Indigenous Development in La Guajira, which is dedicated to improving the indigenous communities’ living conditions.
 * The Cerrrejón Foundation for Institutional Strengthening in La Guajira, which guarantee projects of good investment of mining royalties and other resources in the region.

Contact Information
Cerrejón Coal Company Calle 100 No. 19 – 54, 12th Floor Bogotá, Colombia

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * BHP Billiton's coal interests
 * Colombia and coal

External Articles

 * BHP Billiton, Cerrejon Coal Company, BHP Billiton website, accessed June 2008.
 * Patrick Markey, "Colombia coal train bombed, exports unaffected", Reuters, May 27, 2008.